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|developer=[[Nintendo]]
|developer=[[Nintendo]]
|publisher=Nintendo
|publisher=Nintendo
|release='''Game Boy:'''<br>{{release|Japan|June 14, 1989|USA|July 31, 1989|Europe|September 28, 1990}}'''Virtual Console (3DS):'''<br>{{release|USA|December 22, 2011|Europe|December 22, 2011|Australia|December 22, 2011|Japan|December 28, 2011}} '''Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online:'''<br>{{release|USA|February 8, 2023|Japan|February 9, 2023|Europe|February 9, 2023|Australia|February 9, 2023|South Korea|February 9, 2023|HK|February 9, 2023}}
|release='''Game Boy:'''<br>{{flag list|Japan|June 14, 1989<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo|title=ゲームボーイ|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/dmg/index.html|publisher=Nintendo (official Japanese site)|language=Japanese|accessdate=November 27, 2024|archive=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317065341/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/dmg/index.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite|title=テトリス（TETRIS） (ゲームボーイ)|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=13820|publisher=Famitsu|language=Japanese|accessdate=November 27, 2024|archive=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123150300/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=13820}}</ref>|USA|July 31, 1989<ref>{{cite|author=Dave White|date=July 1989|title=Gameboy Club|publisher=Electronic Gaming Monthy|language=English|accessdate=November 27, 2024}}</ref>|Europe|September 28, 1990}}'''Virtual Console (3DS):'''<br>{{flag list|USA|December 22, 2011|Europe|December 22, 2011|Australia|December 22, 2011|Japan|December 28, 2011}} '''Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online:'''<br>{{flag list|USA|February 8, 2023|Japan|February 9, 2023|Europe|February 9, 2023|Australia|February 9, 2023|South Korea|February 9, 2023|HK|February 9, 2023}}
|languages={{languages|en_us=y}}
|genre=Puzzle
|genre=Puzzle
|modes=Single player, multiplayer
|modes=Single player, multiplayer
|ratings={{ratings|esrb=E|acb=G|pegi=3|cero=A}}
|ratings={{ratings|esrb=E|acb=G|pegi=3|cero=A}}
|platforms=[[Game Boy]], [[Virtual Console]] ([[Nintendo 3DS]]), [[Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online]]
|platforms=[[Game Boy]]<br>[[Virtual Console]] ([[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]])<br>[[Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online]]
|media={{media|gb=1|3dsdl=1|switchdl=1}}
|format={{format|gb=1|3dsdl=1|switchdl=1}}
|input={{input|gb=1|3ds=1|joy-con=1|switchpro=1}}
|input={{input|gb=1|3ds=1|joy-con=1|switchpro=1}}
|serials=DMG-TRA
}}
}}
[[File:Tetris Title Screen.png|thumb|left|160px|The game's title screen]]
'''''Tetris''''' is a puzzle game for the [[Game Boy]] released in 1989 in Japan and North America and 1990 in Europe. It was developed and published by [[Nintendo]] (with the rights to a Game Boy version sub-licensed from [[Bullet-Proof Software]]<ref>{{cite|quote="Tetris licensed to Bullet-Proof Software and Sub-licensed to Nintendo."|author=Boot-up screen|title=''Tetris''}}</ref>) and is directly based on {{iw|harddrop|Alexey Pajitnov}}'s original rendition of ''{{iw|harddrop|Tetris}}''. The basic gameplay involves stacking a series of {{iw|harddrop|Hard Drop Tetris Wiki:Glossary#B|blocks}} to create full rows with increasingly fast speeds. There are no ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' elements in single-player, though two-player mode represents [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] as the first and second player, respectively.
'''''Tetris''''' is a puzzle game for the [[Game Boy]] released in 1989 in Japan and North America and 1990 in Europe. It was developed and published by [[Nintendo]] (with the rights to a Game Boy version sub-licensed from [[Bullet-Proof Software]]<ref>Boot-up screen: "Tetris licensed to Bullet-Proof Software and Sub-licensed to Nintendo."</ref>) and is directly based on {{wp|Alexey Pajitnov}}'s original rendition of ''{{wp|Tetris}}''. The basic gameplay involves stacking a series of blocks to create full rows with increasingly fast speeds. This simple gameplay, combined with its basic visuals, gave ''Tetris'' a universal appeal that made it immensely popular. It massively helped sell the Game Boy by virtue of being bundled with it upon release.


The Game Boy ''Tetris'' title was made available for the [[Nintendo 3DS]]'s [[Virtual Console#Nintendo 3DS|Virtual Console]] in December 2011, although the title was later pulled from all regions. It was later released on the [[Nintendo Switch]]'s [[Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online]] service as one of its launch titles on February 8, 2023.
''Tetris'' was made available for the [[Nintendo 3DS]]'s [[Virtual Console#Nintendo 3DS|Virtual Console]] in December 2011, although the title was later pulled from all regions. It was later released on the [[Nintendo Switch]]'s [[Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online]] service as one of its launch titles on February 8, 2023.
 
The [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] version of the game also has ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' characters [[List of references in Nintendo video games#Tetris (NES)|cameo on the end screen]]. This version was never released in Japan as Bullet-Proof Software held the rights to produce ''Tetris'' for the [[Family Computer]].
{{br|left}}


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
[[File:TetrisGBMarioLuigi.png|thumb|left|Mode selection]]
[[File:TetrisGBMarioLuigi.png|thumb|left|Mode selection]]
The goal of the game is to stack blocks into complete lines, removing them from play. All of the blocks, called Tetriminos,<ref>"About Tetris®." ''Tetris'', tetris.com/about-us. Retrieved January 26, 2017.</ref> are based on the {{wp|tetromino}}s (every geometric shape that can be created from four perfect squares). As play begins, a random Tetrimino falls to the bottom of the screen, and the player can position it and rotate it without being able to move it back up. After one is placed down, another appears, and this continues for every subsequent Tetrimino. In single-player, the player can choose from the A-Type or B-Type modes to play. In A-Type, the player selects the speed at which the Tetriminos fall, then the game begins. It continues forever<ref>Spectre255. "Game Boy Tetris - 999,999 Points." ''YouTube'', 13 Mar. 2006, www.youtube.com/watch?v=keeSEJG4XzU. Retrieved January 26, 2017.</ref> until the Tetriminos reach the top of the screen, with no more room left for them to appear. In B-Type, the player must clear twenty-five lines, and in this mode, they can choose both the Tetriminos' falling speed and the number of misaligned blocks that are already on-screen. Once the necessary lines have been cleared, the player is scored on their performance. If they complete B-Type with the maximum settings, a special ending plays featuring the launch of a spaceship.
The goal of the game is to stack blocks into complete lines, removing them from play. All of the blocks, called {{iw|harddrop|Tetromino|Tetriminoes}}, are based on the {{wp|tetromino}}es (every geometric shape that can be created from four perfect squares). As play begins, a random Tetrimino falls to the bottom of the screen, and the player can position it and rotate it without being able to move it back up. After one is placed down, another appears, and this continues for every subsequent Tetrimino. In single-player, the player can choose from the A-Type or B-Type modes to play. In A-Type, the player selects the speed at which the Tetriminos fall, then the game begins. It continues forever<ref>{{cite|author=Breandan Vallance|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe6MHRkgxR4|date=January 22, 2023|title=Gameboy Tetris maxout (999999 points)|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=June 21, 2024}}</ref> until the Tetriminos reach the top of the screen, with no more room left for them to appear. In B-Type, the goal is to {{iw|harddrop|Line clear|clear twenty-five lines}}, and both the Tetriminos' falling speed and the number of misaligned blocks that are already on-screen can be selected. Once the necessary lines have been cleared, the player is scored on their performance. If they complete B-Type with the maximum settings, a special ending plays featuring the launch of a spaceship. It does not show any ''Super Mario'' characters, unlike with the [[nwiki:Tetris (NES)|Nintendo Entertainment System version]].


[[File:MarioTetrisGB.png|thumb|left|Luigi, sad at his loss]]
[[File:MarioTetrisGB.png|thumb|left|Luigi, sad at his loss]]
Multiplayer features only two players, and pits [[Mario]] against [[Luigi]] as they stack Tetriminos on separate fields. If one player clears more than one line, extra lines suddenly appear at the bottom of the other player's screen. Play continues until either one player runs out of space or one player clears at least thirty lines, at which point Mario and Luigi are seen celebrating or moping. The games then begin anew, with a cleared screen, until one player wins three times.
In two-player mode, Mario and Luigi stack Tetriminos on separate fields. If one player clears more than one line, extra lines suddenly appear at the bottom of the other player's screen. Play continues until either one player runs out of space or one player clears at least thirty lines, at which point Mario and Luigi are seen celebrating or moping. The games then begin anew, with a cleared screen, until one player wins three times.
{{br|left}}
{{br|left}}


==Development==
==Development==
Though the Game Boy had four launch titles upon its Japanese release, none of them were bundled with the console. Henk Rogers of Bullet-Proof Software convinced Minoru Arakawa to bundle the Game Boy in North America and Europe with ''Tetris'' rather than ''[[Super Mario Land]]'', stating that the former would have broader appeal while the latter would only appeal to children. As he put it, "[i]f you want little boys to buy your machine include 'Mario,' but if you want everyone to buy your machine, include 'Tetris'".<ref>Levy, Karyne. "The Complicated History Of 'Tetris,' Which Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary Today." ''Business Insider'', 6 June 2014, 10:59 AM, www.businessinsider.com/tetris-history-2014-6.</ref>
Though the Game Boy had four launch titles upon its Japanese release, none of them were bundled with the console. Henk Rogers of Bullet-Proof Software convinced Minoru Arakawa to bundle the Game Boy in North America and Europe with ''Tetris'' rather than ''[[Super Mario Land]]'', stating that the former would have broader appeal while the latter would only appeal to children. As he put it, "[i]f you want little boys to buy your machine include 'Mario,' but if you want everyone to buy your machine, include 'Tetris'".<ref>{{cite|author=Levy, Karyne|title=The Complicated History Of 'Tetris,' Which Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary Today.|publisher=Business Insider|date=June 6, 2014, 10:59 AM EDT|url=www.businessinsider.com/tetris-history-2014-6|accessdate=June 20, 2024}}</ref> Nintendo consequently encouraged Rogers to seek out the rights to develop a Game Boy port; since the game's creator, Alexey Pajitnov (Romanized on the game's startup screen as Alexey Pazhitnov), was an employee of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union, this meant arranging a deal with the federal government of the Soviet Union itself.<ref name=mcgrawhill>{{cite|author=DeMaria, Rusel; Wilson, Johnny L.|date=December 18, 2003|title=''High Score! The Illustrated History of Electronic Video Games''|format=Second Edition|publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional|language=en|isbn=0-07-223172-6}}{{page needed}}</ref>
 
After a failed attempt at getting Robert Stein of Andromeda Software (who had previously obtained the rights for various home computer ports outside the Eastern Bloc) to work out a deal, Rogers flew out to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to meet with Pajitnov and ELORG, the Soviet Union's state-sanctioned computer company. At the same time, Nintendo contacted Spectrum HoloByte, to whom Andromeda Software previously granted the North American distribution rights, to work on the Game Boy port, leading to a legal dispute with Mirrorsoft, who owned the European rights for home computer ports.<ref name=mcgrawhill/> Eventually, Rogers learned that Stein had never actually contacted the Soviet government to obtain the international distribution rights, instead talking directly to Pajitnov (who Soviet law prohibited from owning the game),<ref>{{cite|author=Evans, David Sparks; Hagiu, Andrei; Schmalensee, Richard|date=August 18, 2006|title=''Invisible Engines: How Software Platforms Drive Innovation and Transform Industries''|format=Illustrated ed.|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=0-262-05085-4}}</ref> and worked out a deal to give Nintendo exclusive home console and handheld rights for ''Tetris''.<ref name="mcgrawhill"/> Consequently, the game's startup screen lists both Nintendo and Rogers' company, Bullet-Proof Software, as copyright holders. Rogers' efforts were later dramatized in the 2023 thriller film ''{{wp|Tetris (film)|Tetris}}''.
{{br}}
{{br}}


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|Marc Golding, [http://www.honestgamers.com/1907/game-boy/tetris/review.html Honest Gamers]
|Marc Golding, [http://www.honestgamers.com/1907/game-boy/tetris/review.html Honest Gamers]
|10/10
|10/10
|''"To summarize the Tetris experience is to quote Maynard James Keenan of the great rock band Tool -- as I am often wont to do: I know the pieces fit!"''
|''"To summarize the Tetris experience is to quote Maynard James Keenan of the great rock band Tool -- as I am often wont{{sic}} to do: I know the pieces fit!"''
|-
|-
|Game Boy
|Game Boy
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===Sales===
===Sales===
The popularity of ''Tetris'' was immense, to the point where the success of the Game Boy is often attributed to ''Tetris'' itself.<ref>Kaplan, Arie. "Games To Go." ''The Epic Evolution of Video Games'', Lerner Publications Company, 2014, p. 15. ShockZone — Games and Gamers. ''Google Books'', books.google.ca/books?id=ACejAgAAQBAJ.</ref><ref>Rollings, Andrew, and Dave Morris. ''Game Architecture and Design'', New Riders, 2004, p. 538. ''Google Books'', books.google.ca/books?id=qFdzalo0ixcC.</ref> Due in large part to the game being bundled with the Game Boy, ''Tetris'' sold over 33 million copies<ref name="Handheld Market">Haghirian, Parissa, and Philippe Gagnon. "The Handheld Market." ''Case Studies in Japanese Management'', World Scientific, 2011, pp. 61-62. ''Google Books'', books.google.ca/books?id=Lx08DQAAQBAJ.</ref> and its combined earnings were billions of dollars.<ref>Sheff, David. ''Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered The World''. Knopf Doubleday, 2011. ''Google Books'', books.google.ca/books?id=b_N5FzzD3hsC.</ref> The game has thus gained a reputation as the handheld's "killer app".<ref>Bellomo, Mark."Bricks and Pocket Monsters." ''Totally Tubular '80s Toys'', Krause, 2010, p. 348. ''Google Books'', books.google.ca/books?id=CF8AjVJXvH0C.</ref> Although the game succeeded with Nintendo's core demographic of young children, the game was notably also popular with people outside of their usual audience, such as businessmen and other non-traditional gamers, and Nintendo began marketing the game towards them.<ref name="Handheld Market"/><ref>Loguidice, Bill, and Matt Barton. "Nintendo Game Boy (1989)." ''Vintage Game Consoles: An Inside Look at Apple, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, and the Greatest Gaming Platforms of All Time'', CRC Press, 2014. ''Google Books'', books.google.ca/books?id=wZnpAgAAQBAJ.</ref>
The popularity of ''Tetris'' was immense, to the point where the success of the Game Boy is often attributed to ''Tetris'' itself.<ref>{{cite|author=Kaplan, Arie|title="Games To Go." ''The Epic Evolution of Video Games (ShockZone ™ ― Games and Gamers)''|publisher=Lerner Publications Company|date=August 1, 2013|page=15|isbn=978-1-4677-1585-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite|author=Rollings, Andrew, and Dave Morris|title=''Game Architecture and Design''|publisher=New Riders|page=538|date=2003|isbn=978-0735713635|language=en}}</ref> Due in large part to the game being bundled with the Game Boy, ''Tetris'' sold over 33 million copies<ref name="Handheld Market">{{cite|author=Haghirian, Parissa, and Philippe Gagnon|title="The Handheld Market" - ''Case Studies in Japanese Management''|publisher=World Scientific|date=October 13, 2011|page=61-62|isbn=978-9814340878}}</ref> and its combined earnings were billions of dollars.<ref>{{cite|author=Sheff, David|title=''Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered The World''|publisher=Knopf Doubleday|date=November 2, 2011|format=eBook|language=en}}</ref> The game has thus gained a reputation as the handheld's "killer app".<ref>{{cite|author=Bellomo, Mark|title="Bricks and Pocket Monsters" - ''Totally Tubular '80s Toys''|publisher=Krause|date=October 13, 2010|page=348|language=en|isbn=978-1-4402-1282-6}}</ref> Although the game succeeded with Nintendo's core demographic of young children, the game was notably also popular with people outside of their usual audience, such as businessmen and other non-traditional gamers, and Nintendo began marketing the game towards them.<ref name="Handheld Market"/><ref>{{cite|author=Loguidice, Bill, and Matt Barton|title="Nintendo Game Boy (1989)" - ''Vintage Game Consoles: An Inside Look at Apple, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, and the Greatest Gaming Platforms of All Time''|publisher=CRC Press|date=February 7, 2014|language=en|isbn=978-0-415-85600-3}}</ref>


===Legacy===
===Legacy===
''Tetris'' holds the distinction of being the first video game played in space, by Russian astronaut {{wp|Aleksandr Serebrov|Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Serebrov}}.<ref>Plunkett, Luke. "This Game Boy Has Been to Space. For Real." ''Kotaku'', 4 May 2011, kotaku.com/5798377/this-game-boy-has-been-to-space-for-real. Retrieved January 22, 2018.</ref> The astronaut received the game from Nintendo's then-chairman, {{wp|Howard Lincoln}}, while the latter was on a trip in the USSR to see Pajitnov.<ref>Nintendo Staff. "A Link With The Soviet Union." ''Nintendo Power'', 1989, p. 54.</ref>
''Tetris'' holds the distinction of being the first video game played in space, by Russian astronaut {{wp|Aleksandr Serebrov|Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Serebrov}}.<ref>{{cite|author=Plunkett, Luke|title="This Game Boy Has Been to Space. For Real"|publisher=Kotaku|date=May 4, 2011|url=kotaku.com/this-game-boy-has-been-to-space-for-real-5798377|accessdate=June 21, 2024}}</ref> The astronaut received the game from Nintendo's then-chairman, {{wp|Howard Lincoln}}, while the latter was on a trip in the USSR to see Pajitnov.<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo Staff|title="A Link With The Soviet Union" - ''Nintendo Power''|page=54|date=1989}}{{better source}}</ref>


==References in later media==
==References in later media==
Line 86: Line 86:


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
===Box art===
<gallery>
<gallery>
TetrisGBJpCover.jpg|Japanese [[Game Boy]] box art
Tetris GB Box CAN.jpg|Canadian box art
Mario Tetris.jpg|Artwork of Mario leaning on a tetronimo
Tetris GB Box EUR AUS.jpg|European/Scandinavian/Australasian box art
Tetris GB Box FAH.jpg|French and Dutch box art
Tetris GB Box ESP.jpg|Spanish box art
Tetris GB Box ITA.jpg|Italian box art
Tetris GB Box FRG.jpg|German box art
Tetris GB Box DE.jpg|German box art (Alternate)
TetrisGBJpCover.jpg|Japanese box art
</gallery>
 
===Other===
<gallery>
Mario Tetris.jpg|Artwork of Mario leaning on a Tetrimino
TetrisGameboy.jpg|Artwork of Mario playing on a Game Boy
TetrisGameboy.jpg|Artwork of Mario playing on a Game Boy
Luigi Tetris.jpg|Artwork of Luigi playing on a Game Boy
Luigi Tetris.jpg|Artwork of Luigi playing on a Game Boy
Tetris Title Screen.png|Screenshot of the Title screen
</gallery>
</gallery>
==Trivia==
*The tagline on the Game Boy version's North American and European box art, "From Russia with Fun!", references the 1957 {{wp|Ian Fleming}} novel ''{{wp|From Russia, with Love (novel)|From Russia, with Love}}'', and by extent, its 1963 {{wp|From Russia with Love (film)|film adaptation}}.
*In a 2009 interview with IGN, ''Tetris'' creator Alexey Pajitnov stated that the Game Boy version was his favorite take on the game, as it bore the closest resemblance to his original vision.<ref>{{cite|author=IGN|date=June 15, 2009|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMV3J-lUd5A|title=Tetris Turns 25, Part 1|publisher=YouTube|language=en|archive=web.archive.org/web/20240601204755/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMV3J-lUd5A|accessdate=June 1, 2024}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
Line 97: Line 114:
*''[[Tetris Attack]]'' (SNES, 1996)
*''[[Tetris Attack]]'' (SNES, 1996)
*''[[Tetris DS]]'' ([[Nintendo DS]], 2006)
*''[[Tetris DS]]'' ([[Nintendo DS]], 2006)
*''[[Tetris 99]]'' ([[Nintendo Switch]], 2019)


==References==
==References==
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{{GB}}
{{GB}}
{{Virtual Console}}
{{Virtual Console}}
{{NSO}}
[[de:Alleyway]]
[[de:Alleyway]]
[[Category:Tetris series]]
[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Puzzle games]]
[[Category:Puzzle games]]
[[Category:Game Boy games]]
[[Category:Game Boy games]]
[[Category:1989 games]]
[[Category:1989 games]]
[[Category:1990 games]]
[[Category:Virtual Console games]]
[[Category:Virtual Console games]]
[[it:Tetris]]
[[it:Tetris]]

Latest revision as of 06:31, December 4, 2024

Tetris
North American box art for Tetris on Game Boy
Developer Nintendo
Publisher Nintendo
Platform(s) Game Boy
Virtual Console (3DS)
Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online
Release date Game Boy:
Japan June 14, 1989[1][2]
USA July 31, 1989[3]
Europe September 28, 1990[?]
Virtual Console (3DS):
USA December 22, 2011[?]
Europe December 22, 2011[?]
Australia December 22, 2011[?]
Japan December 28, 2011[?]
Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online:
USA February 8, 2023[?]
Japan February 9, 2023[?]
Europe February 9, 2023[?]
Australia February 9, 2023[?]
South Korea February 9, 2023[?]
HK February 9, 2023[?]
Language(s) English (United States)
Genre Puzzle
Rating(s)
ESRB:E - Everyone
PEGI:3 - Three years and older
CERO:A - All ages
ACB:G - General
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer
Format
Nintendo Switch:
Digital download
Game Boy:
Game Pak
Nintendo 3DS:
Digital download
Input
Nintendo Switch:
Game Boy:
Nintendo 3DS:
Serial code(s) DMG-TRA

Tetris is a puzzle game for the Game Boy released in 1989 in Japan and North America and 1990 in Europe. It was developed and published by Nintendo (with the rights to a Game Boy version sub-licensed from Bullet-Proof Software[4]) and is directly based on Alexey Pajitnov's original rendition of Tetris. The basic gameplay involves stacking a series of blocks to create full rows with increasingly fast speeds. There are no Super Mario elements in single-player, though two-player mode represents Mario and Luigi as the first and second player, respectively.

Tetris was made available for the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in December 2011, although the title was later pulled from all regions. It was later released on the Nintendo Switch's Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online service as one of its launch titles on February 8, 2023.

Gameplay[edit]

Mario and Luigi in link cable mode.
Mode selection

The goal of the game is to stack blocks into complete lines, removing them from play. All of the blocks, called Tetriminoes, are based on the tetrominoes (every geometric shape that can be created from four perfect squares). As play begins, a random Tetrimino falls to the bottom of the screen, and the player can position it and rotate it without being able to move it back up. After one is placed down, another appears, and this continues for every subsequent Tetrimino. In single-player, the player can choose from the A-Type or B-Type modes to play. In A-Type, the player selects the speed at which the Tetriminos fall, then the game begins. It continues forever[5] until the Tetriminos reach the top of the screen, with no more room left for them to appear. In B-Type, the goal is to clear twenty-five lines, and both the Tetriminos' falling speed and the number of misaligned blocks that are already on-screen can be selected. Once the necessary lines have been cleared, the player is scored on their performance. If they complete B-Type with the maximum settings, a special ending plays featuring the launch of a spaceship. It does not show any Super Mario characters, unlike with the Nintendo Entertainment System version.

Luigi, sad at his loss

In two-player mode, Mario and Luigi stack Tetriminos on separate fields. If one player clears more than one line, extra lines suddenly appear at the bottom of the other player's screen. Play continues until either one player runs out of space or one player clears at least thirty lines, at which point Mario and Luigi are seen celebrating or moping. The games then begin anew, with a cleared screen, until one player wins three times.

Development[edit]

Though the Game Boy had four launch titles upon its Japanese release, none of them were bundled with the console. Henk Rogers of Bullet-Proof Software convinced Minoru Arakawa to bundle the Game Boy in North America and Europe with Tetris rather than Super Mario Land, stating that the former would have broader appeal while the latter would only appeal to children. As he put it, "[i]f you want little boys to buy your machine include 'Mario,' but if you want everyone to buy your machine, include 'Tetris'".[6] Nintendo consequently encouraged Rogers to seek out the rights to develop a Game Boy port; since the game's creator, Alexey Pajitnov (Romanized on the game's startup screen as Alexey Pazhitnov), was an employee of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union, this meant arranging a deal with the federal government of the Soviet Union itself.[7]

After a failed attempt at getting Robert Stein of Andromeda Software (who had previously obtained the rights for various home computer ports outside the Eastern Bloc) to work out a deal, Rogers flew out to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to meet with Pajitnov and ELORG, the Soviet Union's state-sanctioned computer company. At the same time, Nintendo contacted Spectrum HoloByte, to whom Andromeda Software previously granted the North American distribution rights, to work on the Game Boy port, leading to a legal dispute with Mirrorsoft, who owned the European rights for home computer ports.[7] Eventually, Rogers learned that Stein had never actually contacted the Soviet government to obtain the international distribution rights, instead talking directly to Pajitnov (who Soviet law prohibited from owning the game),[8] and worked out a deal to give Nintendo exclusive home console and handheld rights for Tetris.[7] Consequently, the game's startup screen lists both Nintendo and Rogers' company, Bullet-Proof Software, as copyright holders. Rogers' efforts were later dramatized in the 2023 thriller film Tetris.

Reception[edit]

Critical reception[edit]

Reviews
Release Reviewer, Publication Score Comment
3DS Lucas M. Thomas, IGN 9.0/10 "Tetris endures. It was one of the greatest video games ever made when it first appeared back in the '80s, and it retains that status to this day. This particular version of Tetris just adds to that sense of awe, as it's inarguably the most important and nostalgic edition of the game ever published."
Game Boy Marc Golding, Honest Gamers 10/10 "To summarize the Tetris experience is to quote Maynard James Keenan of the great rock band Tool -- as I am often wont[sic] to do: I know the pieces fit!"
Game Boy Adam Riley, Cubed3 10/10 "Tetris is one game that will never be forgotten, no matter how many pretenders to the thrown come and go over time. Sure, there may be some games that have actually managed to improve on the idea, but the original still stands out as one of those revolutionary games. I should not have to tell you to play this, as the majority already will have in some form or other..."
Game Boy Victor Lucas, Electrical Playground 10/10 "Although we're talkin' moving different shapes around and fitting them into the proper positions, Tetris stands as one of the best videogames ever made. The Game Boy would be the Game Infant without it."
Aggregators
Compiler Platform / Score
GameRankings 89.73% (GB)

Sales[edit]

The popularity of Tetris was immense, to the point where the success of the Game Boy is often attributed to Tetris itself.[9][10] Due in large part to the game being bundled with the Game Boy, Tetris sold over 33 million copies[11] and its combined earnings were billions of dollars.[12] The game has thus gained a reputation as the handheld's "killer app".[13] Although the game succeeded with Nintendo's core demographic of young children, the game was notably also popular with people outside of their usual audience, such as businessmen and other non-traditional gamers, and Nintendo began marketing the game towards them.[11][14]

Legacy[edit]

Tetris holds the distinction of being the first video game played in space, by Russian astronaut Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Serebrov.[15] The astronaut received the game from Nintendo's then-chairman, Howard Lincoln, while the latter was on a trip in the USSR to see Pajitnov.[16]

References in later media[edit]

Gallery[edit]

Box art[edit]

  • Canadian box art

    Canadian box art

  • European/Scandinavian/Australasian box art

    European/Scandinavian/Australasian box art

  • French and Dutch box art

    French and Dutch box art

  • Spanish box art

    Spanish box art

  • Italian box art

    Italian box art

  • German box art

    German box art

  • German box art (Alternate)

    German box art (Alternate)

  • Japanese box art

    Japanese box art

Other[edit]

  • Artwork of Mario leaning on a Tetrimino

    Artwork of Mario leaning on a Tetrimino

  • Artwork of Mario playing on a Game Boy

    Artwork of Mario playing on a Game Boy

  • Artwork of Luigi playing on a Game Boy

    Artwork of Luigi playing on a Game Boy

  • Screenshot of the Title screen

    Screenshot of the Title screen

Trivia[edit]

  • The tagline on the Game Boy version's North American and European box art, "From Russia with Fun!", references the 1957 Ian Fleming novel From Russia, with Love, and by extent, its 1963 film adaptation.
  • In a 2009 interview with IGN, Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov stated that the Game Boy version was his favorite take on the game, as it bore the closest resemblance to his original vision.[17]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Tetris coverage on other NIWA wikis:
  1. ^ Nintendo. ゲームボーイ. Nintendo (official Japanese site) (Japanese). Retrieved November 27, 2024. (Archived March 17, 2015, 06:53:41 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
  2. ^ テトリス（TETRIS） (ゲームボーイ). Famitsu (Japanese). Retrieved November 27, 2024. (Archived November 23, 2015, 15:03:00 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
  3. ^ Dave White (July 1989). Gameboy Club. Electronic Gaming Monthy (English). Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  4. ^ "Tetris licensed to Bullet-Proof Software and Sub-licensed to Nintendo." – Boot-up screen. Tetris.
  5. ^ Breandan Vallance (January 22, 2023). Gameboy Tetris maxout (999999 points). YouTube. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  6. ^ Levy, Karyne (June 6, 2014, 10:59 AM EDT). The Complicated History Of 'Tetris,' Which Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary Today.. Business Insider. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c DeMaria, Rusel; Wilson, Johnny L. (December 18, 2003). High Score! The Illustrated History of Electronic Video Games (Second Edition). McGraw-Hill Professional (English). ISBN 0-07-223172-6.[page number needed]
  8. ^ Evans, David Sparks; Hagiu, Andrei; Schmalensee, Richard (August 18, 2006). Invisible Engines: How Software Platforms Drive Innovation and Transform Industries (Illustrated ed.). MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-05085-4.
  9. ^ Kaplan, Arie (August 1, 2013). "Games To Go." The Epic Evolution of Video Games (ShockZone ™ ― Games and Gamers). Lerner Publications Company. ISBN 978-1-4677-1585-0. Page 15.
  10. ^ Rollings, Andrew, and Dave Morris (2003). Game Architecture and Design. New Riders (English). ISBN 978-0735713635. Page 538.
  11. ^ a b Haghirian, Parissa, and Philippe Gagnon (October 13, 2011). "The Handheld Market" - Case Studies in Japanese Management. World Scientific. ISBN 978-9814340878. Page 61-62.
  12. ^ Sheff, David (November 2, 2011). Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered The World (eBook). Knopf Doubleday (English).
  13. ^ Bellomo, Mark (October 13, 2010). "Bricks and Pocket Monsters" - Totally Tubular '80s Toys. Krause (English). ISBN 978-1-4402-1282-6. Page 348.
  14. ^ Loguidice, Bill, and Matt Barton (February 7, 2014). "Nintendo Game Boy (1989)" - Vintage Game Consoles: An Inside Look at Apple, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, and the Greatest Gaming Platforms of All Time. CRC Press (English). ISBN 978-0-415-85600-3.
  15. ^ Plunkett, Luke (May 4, 2011). "This Game Boy Has Been to Space. For Real". Kotaku. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  16. ^ Nintendo Staff (1989). "A Link With The Soviet Union" - Nintendo Power. Page 54.[better source needed]
  17. ^ IGN (June 15, 2009). Tetris Turns 25, Part 1. YouTube (English). Retrieved June 1, 2024. (Archived June 1, 2024, 20:47:55 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
[Edit]
Game Boy games
Super Mario franchise Alleyway (1989) • Baseball (1989) • Super Mario Land (1989) • Golf (1989) • Dr. Mario (1990) • Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992) • Donkey Kong (1994) • Mario's Picross (1995) • Picross 2 (1996)
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong (1994) • Donkey Kong Land (1995) • Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996) • Donkey Kong Land III (1997)
Yoshi franchise Yoshi (1991) • Yoshi's Cookie (1992) • Tetris Attack (1996)
Wario franchise Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1994) • Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman! (1994) • Wario Land II (1998)
Miscellaneous Tetris (1989) • The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (1993) • Game & Watch Gallery (1997) • Game & Watch Gallery 2 (1997)
[Edit]
Virtual Console games
Super Mario franchise General Mario Bros. • Mario's Super Picross • NES Open Tournament Golf • Super Mario Bros. • Super Mario Bros. 2 • Super Mario Bros. 3 • Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels • Super Mario Kart • Super Mario World • Wrecking Crew
Wii and Wii U Mario Golf • Mario Kart 64 • Mario Party 2 • Mario Tennis (N64) • Paper Mario • Pinball • Super Mario 64 • Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Mario Kart: Super Circuit • Mario vs. Donkey Kong • Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
Wii U Dr. Mario (NES) • Golf (NES) • Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga • Mario Golf: Advance Tour • Mario Hoops 3-on-3 • Mario Kart DS • Mario Party Advance • Mario Party DS • Mario Pinball Land • Mario Tennis: Power Tour • Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis • New Super Mario Bros. • Super Mario 64 DS • Super Mario Advance • Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 • Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 • Wrecking Crew '98
Nintendo 3DS Alleyway • Baseball • Dr. Mario (GB) • Golf (GB) • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga • Mario Golf (GBC) • Mario Tennis (GBC) • Mario's Picross • Picross 2 • Super Mario Bros. Deluxe • Super Mario Land • Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Yoshi franchise Tetris Attack • Yoshi (NES) • Yoshi's Cookie (NES) • Yoshi's Story
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong • Donkey Kong (GB) • Donkey Kong 3 • Donkey Kong Country • Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest • Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! • Donkey Kong Jr. • Donkey Kong Jr. Math
Wario franchise Wario Land II • Wario Land 3 • Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 • WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! • WarioWare: Touched! • Wario's Woods (NES)
Other Game & Watch Gallery • Game & Watch Gallery 2 • Game & Watch Gallery 3 • Game & Watch Gallery 4 • Panel de Pon • Super Smash Bros. (N64) • Tetris (GB)
[Edit]
Nintendo Switch Online games
FC/NES Super Mario franchise Dr. Mario (2018) • Mario Bros. (2018) • Super Mario Bros. (2018) • Super Mario Bros. 3 (2018) • NES Open Tournament Golf (2018) • Super Mario Bros. 2 (2019) • Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (2019) • Wrecking Crew (2019) • Pinball (2022) • Golf (2024)
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong (2018) • Donkey Kong Jr. (2019) • Donkey Kong 3 (2019) • Donkey Kong Jr. Math (2024)
Yoshi franchise Yoshi (2018)
Wario franchise Wario's Woods (2018)
SFC/SNES Super Mario franchise Super Mario Kart (2019) • Super Mario World (2019) • Super Mario All-Stars (2020) • Mario's Super Picross (2020) • Wrecking Crew '98 (2024)
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong Country (2020) • Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (2020) • Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (2020)
Yoshi franchise Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (2019)
Other Panel de Pon (2020)
N64* Super Mario franchise Super Mario 64 (2021) • Mario Kart 64 (2021) • Mario Tennis (2021) • Dr. Mario 64 (2021) • Paper Mario (2021) • Mario Golf (2022) • Mario Party (2022) • Mario Party 2 (2022) • Mario Party 3 (2023)
Yoshi franchise Yoshi's Story (2021)
GB/GBC Super Mario franchise Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (2023) • Game & Watch Gallery 3 (2023) • Dr. Mario (2024) • Mario Golf (2024) • Mario Tennis (2024) • Alleyway (2024) • Baseball (2024) • Super Mario Land (2024)
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong Land (2024) • Donkey Kong Land 2 (2024) • Donkey Kong Land III (2024)
Wario franchise Wario Land 3 (2023)
Other Tetris (2023)
GBA* Super Mario franchise Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (2023) • Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2023) • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2023) • Super Mario Advance (2023) • Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2023)
Wario franchise WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (2023)
Yoshi franchise Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (2023)
* Exclusive to the Expansion Pack
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